5/4/2020
34 Raceway
"When Will You Be Open?" The Question of the Week
The question of the weekend was, “when will you be open?” To think we can give an honest and definitive answer right now when the governor opened all but 22 counties (Des Moines County IA remaining closed until 5/15 currently) is tough. There are going to be a lot of factors that play into re-opening for events in 2020.
The state isn’t going to let us have fans immediately so can we break even on a show without fans? We don’t have a big Pay per View contract like major tracks / series. We are not a fair board track. It’s the two of us with the support from our sponsors and the racing community. As I (Jessi) have said previously, gate admissions do not fully fund purses. Food, beverage and fuel sales play a very big part in the overall picture. If you take the grandstands out of the equation and factor in a little fast food on the way to the track, that is going to hurt many tracks and their ability to open in the coming weeks. Most tracks still have bank payments or leases to pay. We all still have bills that come due each month despite not being able to race. We want to race but it will have to be a calculated decision to do so.
People recently criticized a track for charging a sizable entry fee and honestly, if you want to race you are either going to have to pay an entry fee for a track with no fans or find one to visit one who can operate normally under the circumstances and drive a couple more hours. That somewhat defeats the purpose of “shop local” or “support local racing” but that is an individual decision many have to make. The alternative is to stay at home and pay for the Pay per View broadcast which the track does get a portion of the proceeds for. People are complaining about the cost of that too. It doesn’t come with all the smells, the chest rumbles or the dirt in your drinks but it does give you an opportunity to support the track. You probably would have been sitting in the stands having spent the $24.99 the broadcast cost on fuel, a ticket and food / beverage so be objective when you see the pricing of the broadcasts. You are home, safe and get to see action at a racetrack after 4-6 weeks of nothing. Be thankful!
Racing this season is going to be crazy. Tracks are going to have to schedule over one another. We will be splitting fans and splitting cars. I will say honestly that no one is going to really come out on top. Our driver community, racing community and local communities are going to struggle. Many are out of jobs with no relief in sight. Some are not going to have the disposable income to come back to the track and you can talk to any track promoter, series promoter or racing media outlet and they will tell you they are concerned with how the racing scene will look in the weeks and months to come and rightfully so. Even looking at 2021, folks in racing should be concerned about the sponsors having the funds to return to market with them. As I told the folks in our drivers group last week, now is the time to focus on your personal racing programs and families. You have to do what is in the best interest of both. Tow checks alone don’t buy tires or parts. Races without fans don’t fully pay the bills unless you have some tremendous sponsorship come along that can help pave the way. Everything will shake out in the end so we all just have to keep the faith and know the time will come.
We hope you will continue to support local racing wherever you may be. Right now 34 Raceway will keep making improvements so the track is a better place for our fans when they return whether that is in a week or in a month. We hope to see you all safely in your seats in just a short time but we will continue to do what we need to do in the meantime to ensure our fans and teams are safe upon their return to the racetrack and we are making the best decisions possible for all parties.
In closing, please don’t criticize tracks for wanting to be open. Don’t complain about what it costs to rent the show if you cannot make it there. And for goodness sake, do not live stream a Pay per View on Facebook. We’re all trying and so badly wish it was a normal season and that we were racing. We want you all to remain well and if you are not ready to come back when we open, it’s OK. We will be awaiting your return back to the track when the time is right for YOU! Be well, be safe & BE KIND! Stay tuned here for more details as they become available. #racingstrong
Submitted By: Jessi Mynatt
